The present invention relates to the provision of television content, and particularly to a method and apparatus for transmitting, receiving, caching and displaying one-way broadcast programming and data, including audio, video and data.
Television programs are distributed to viewers by a variety of broadcasting methods. These methods include traditional analog broadcast television (National Television Systems Committee or “NTSC” standard), the upcoming digital broadcast television (Advanced Television Systems Committee or “ATSC” standard), cable television (both analog and digital), satellite broadcasting (both analog and digital), as well as other methods. These methods allow channels of television content to be multiplexed and transmitted over a common transmission medium.
Channel numbers are typically used to identify the stream of television content offered by a content provider. Program guide information is typically transmitted along with the television content. The program guide information includes a set of channel definition parameters that define which portions of the transmitted television content are associated with the various channels, and typically also includes schedule information for display on users' televisions. The schedule information informs users what television programs are currently on, and what television programs will be shown in the near future.
Receiving devices decode the program guide information and television content. When a user tunes to a particular channel, the user's receiving device uses the channel definition parameters for the chosen channel to link the television content portions associated with the chosen channel and provide the channel content to the user. More specifically, existing analog broadcast television systems use a fixed mapping between channel numbers and the channel definition parameters. In analog broadcast television systems, the channel definition parameters are frequencies. Each frequency or set of frequencies is mapped to a particular channel. The upcoming digital broadcast television systems require the receiving device to search among a small, fixed list of parameters to locate television content portions. Once located, the television content portions in digital systems remain unchanged for relatively long periods.
Satellite broadcasting systems are primarily one-way communication systems. Such one-way systems do not allow the viewer to control the time and rate of viewing programming. The viewer can only change channels or select to view a program at a predetermined time as instructed via the programming guide. It would be desirable to enhance the viewing experience and to increase the flexibility of the satellite broadcasting system or other one-way broadcasting systems to allow the viewer to have more control over the time and rate of viewing the programming.
Current receiving devices in satellite broadcasting systems do not provide storage media capable of storing entire movies or other entertainment programming. It would be desirable in a satellite broadcasting system to be able to send programming for local storage at a receiving device. Sending programming for local storage and later viewing allows for greater flexibility to both the service provider and the subscriber. Programming can be sent less frequently or at differing rates, freeing up valuable bandwidth. The subscriber can view locally stored programming at a later time with full on demand features such as the ability to pause and rewind movies.
Current recording devices used for recording television programming, such as a VCR, are designed to receive and record unencrypted television signals. However, one-way type broadcasting systems regularly utilize encryption techniques and access control measures over transmitted signals. Broadcasters restrict access to transmitted television programming and data based on service subscription criteria.